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megawatts (MW), include B.C. Cobb 4 and 5 in Muskegon (320 MW); J.C. Weadock 7 and 8 in Hampton Township, Bay County (310 MW); and J.R. Whiting 1, 2 and 3 in Luna Pier (328 MW). "These plants have a long track record of running safely, produc- tively and efficiently. In fact, Whiting's Unit 3 recently set a compa- ny record by operating continuously for 679 consecutive days, the sixth longest run for a U.S. power plant," said Dan Malone, senior vice president of energy resources, Consumers Energy. He noted the company is working to accommodate the placement of interest- ed employees at other Consumers Energy sites. Following the clo- sure, five coal plants will remain in its portfolio. The closure of the Classic Seven reduces the company's car- bon footprint by 25% and reduces its air emissions by 40%, according to company data. It will also see a 40% reduction in its water use. "With two-thirds of our coal fleet shutting down, seven out of 12 coal plants, now is the time for Lansing policy- makers to update Michigan's energy law and ensure customers have reliable, affordable and sustainable power going forward," said Malone. WCA: HELE Technologies Mitigate More CO 2 Than Renewables A new report released from the World Coal Association (WCA) has revealed some important findings for the coal and energy community, including that high-efficiency low-emission (HELE) coal-fired power generation mitigates more CO 2 emissions than renewable technologies. In The Power of High Efficiency Coal, released March 23, the WCA said not only can HELE coal-fired power generation abate more emissions than renewables, but also that 1.1 billion metric tons (mt) of CO 2 can be avoided annually by 2040 with the deployment of HELE technologies. The report also indicated that HELE coal technology is one of the most cost-efficient ways to reduce carbon emission while also providing electricity at an affordable rate. "As we approach the signing of the Paris Agreement next month, it is important to recognize that HELE technologies are vital to its long-term suc- cess," WCA Chief Executive Benjamin Sporton said. "Nationally Determined Contributions submitted by countries in the lead- up to COP21 are the foundation of the Paris Agreement, and in many of those plans, HELE coal technology plays a significant role. The power of HELE technology needs to be understood." The official also spotlighted its research findings that chang- ing focus away from the least efficient coal technology to a more efficient method is the lowest-cost option for reducing emis- sions of CO 2 . "In southeast Asia, coal can generate electricity at close to half the price of gas, and deploying high-efficiency coal for power generation [there] costs a fifth less than using wind. That's why demand for coal is forecast to grow significantly in the region in the decades to come," Sporton said. With the Paris Agreement implementation coming, the WCA is now pushing for the establishment of an international mech- anism to provide financial and other needed support to fast- track HELE technology. Appalachian Senators Push for Mine Communications Funding Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin have come together to request $6 million in funding to allow all U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) mine rescue teams with wireless communications and tracking systems. The trio wrote in a letter to the Appropriations Committee on March 22 that the traditional systems in use for mine emer- gencies are "tedious, slow and ineffective" and that continuing to employ them can delay a rescue mission and exacerbate risk. "In comparison, the deployment of wireless technology is more effective and reliable, which makes a significant difference when mine rescue teams have a short window of time in which to perform," the three Democrats said in the document, which formally requests an addition of the funding to the Fiscal Year 2017 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. n e w s c o n t i n u e d 14 www.coalage.com April 2016 Honaker Awarded Funding for Rare Earth Pilot Facility University of Kentucky (UK) Department of Mining Engineering Chair Rick Honaker has been awarded a grant of almost $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE NETL) for the development of a pilot-plant facility to recover rare earth ele- ments from coal. Honaker will lead a team from Virginia Tech and West Virginia University as well as partners Arch Coal, Blackhawk Mining, Bowie Refining, Eriez Manufacturing and Minerals Refining Co. on the design and testing of the facility, which will work in an environmentally friendly manner to recover the elements, also known as REEs, efficiently from coal and its byproducts. Specifically, it will use HHS technology, a patented process that takes advantage of properties of water-friendly and water-repellent materials for extraction of the elements. REEs in the U.S. are found in just nine states, but potential deposits total 10.9 million tons, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. "Previous research conducted by UK scientists and others have found that the critical materials needed for renewable energy technolo- gies, such as cell phones and other electronics, are found in coal and coal byproducts at concentrations that may be economical to recover," Honaker said. "If advanced separation technologies become available, the resource base will increase substantially." If the separation technologies come to fruition, the coal industry could potentially produce 40,000 tons of REEs each year, more than twice the nation's current consumption rate. The project by Honaker and his partners was one of only 10 projects awarded grant funding. It is the only one focused on physical concentration methods for REE recovery directly from coal and not from combustion byproduct. The DOE has awarded $999,797, and another $320,212 will come from other project partners. Total funding for the mobile facility design in Phase 1 is $1,320,009. If the initial phase is successful, the second phase, with a price tag of $6 million, will include the facility's construction and testing. 2 0 1 6 A W A R D S %